[Paul Nash]

First 3 at Porthcawl were great. 11-13 at Bearwood Lakes (5,3,4). 6-8 at Hankley Common (5,3,5) - see below 7th and 8th, if they work! 8-10 at St george's Hill.

[Tom_Doak]

Gib:

I don't drink much whiskey, but my favorite little short-cut of holes is to play the first hole at Crystal Downs, then skip over to 7, 8 and 9.  You get to play a great long par-4, a great short par-4, the best par-5 in golf, and one of the hardest par-3's.

You can also start on the third tee from the lower car park and play 3-4-5-6-2.  (It's a pretty strong set of nine holes.)  And I've gone over there with my dog a few times and parked up by the back entrance and played 12-13-14-15-16 so we wouldn't bother anybody.

High Pointe's routing was pretty good from that standpoint -- it came back near the clubhouse at #2 green and #5 green, so you have the choice of a 2-hole, 3-hole or 4-hole loop in the evening.  But the ultimate play-till-dusk course is still that little place just north of Bandon Dunes Resort.

[ed_getka]

Tom beat me to it, that is the exact stretch of holes at CD that came to mind.

[ed_getka]

Pasatiempo #1,2,3, and 9 or #10, 11, 12, 17, and 18 would be pretty good too, with #12 being a weakish link, but the other four are fantastic holes.

I tried to come up with one for Rustic Canyon, but it just doesn't work. Unless of course you want to play H-O-R-S-E in which case you could certainly make some interesting holes on the front nine, a la Sheep Ranch.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Reverse TOC 1,2,17,18. Hopefully enough play so we can pick off the early group coming up 18 fairway.  Since they're drunk and we're in heaven, nobody gets hurt and nobody gets sent down, we hope.

[dsilk]

hey gib,
your twist makes for better copy... im trying to figure out a route (hold the whiskey for me- filled quota early in life) around the clubhouse at NGLA- not sure if it would work though...
wondering if Tom D's gems down under might have some special stretches...

[ed_getka]

For NGLA I'm pretty sure #1,2,17,18 would work. It would be a little bit of a walk from #2 green to #17 tee, but from that high vantage point it would be a walk worth taking.

[Eric Smith]

18, 1 & 5 at St. Alberts

[Jay Flemma]

This thread has been repeated at least 376 times, so let's vector off the path and make it a thinking game.

As a matter of fact, let's not limit it to three holes. How about great Whiskey Routes that include any odd number of holes?

We have all been there. After several hours of slamming dice cups and busy bartenders, one of the local punters gets the bright idea that a three or four hole skins game is in order. Invariably this comes with an odd twist, like limiting everyone to one club.

So out the clubhouse door burst a gang-some of middle-aged adolescents in varying stages of drunk, marching down to the tee in their Topsiders and a five iron.

There my friends, is the essence and spirit of the game. It is on those holes where we can find true Heaven whether at Maidstone, Ballybunnion or Disgusta National, the affectionate name we locals give to Poplar Creek/San Mateo Muni.

If the "Commissioner" in the sky is only going to cough up three holes, then there is my wish, Pine Valley or not.

Ah...a variation on what we called the "Old Man's Nine" - where they'd play 1-2 then 12-16, then 8-9 to avoid trudging up cardiac hill and a long walk from 16 green to 17 tee.

Without a routing map in front of me, it's a little tougher for me to envision a loop of holes on a course I haven't played.

I have played Garden City, and I love it, so I'd say - even though I've played it - 1-2-3-17-18 is a nice run.  They call that the "inner loop."

[PThomas]

Gib:

 Crystal Downs, .... the best par-5 in golf,

nomination for Noteworthy Statement of the Year

[Anthony Gray]

  What no Sawgrass 16 17 18? How about Pebble 6 7 8.A par 3 4 and 5.
 Personally Pac 5 6 7. No 6 is my favorite par 4 on earth. No 7 one of my favorite par 4 and a halves. No 5 two ter green and who would ever think the best approach is from the way left.

 Across the pond. Cruden Bay 13 14 15. Again a 3 4 and 5. You have to love the suspense.


  Anthony

[Kalen Braley]

A quick whiskey route at PD would be 1,2,7

[Mark Bourgeois]

A quick whiskey route at PD would be 1,2,7

8,9 and 10 at the original "PD" would be fantastic. Whoa, 10, 17 & 18 is a pretty mean trifecta, too.  1,2,6,7 would be just okay in comparison to the other two combos.

[Tom_Doak]

Kalen:

Unfortunately, I think a lot of people have figured out that 1-2-7 at Pacific Dunes -- or the longer 8-9-10-11-5-6-7 -- is a cool stretch.  If there are 40,000 paid rounds at Pacific, I'd bet there are 50,000 plays on most of those holes.

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen:

Unfortunately, I think a lot of people have figured out that 1-2-7 at Pacific Dunes -- or the longer 8-9-10-11-5-6-7 -- is a cool stretch.  If there are 40,000 paid rounds at Pacific, I'd bet there are 50,000 plays on most of those holes.

Tom,

That sounds about right...if only had 1/2 hr of sunlight, thats what I'd likely do   

Another good but slightly longer loop would be 1,2,16-18 if there weren't groups on the last few holes.   A good winter time, course is empty loop. 

[Kalen Braley]

Tom,

Just out of curiosity, was there much thought given to make 10 and 11 a medium length par 4?  Especially if not much dirt was moved to where the existing 10 and 11 are today.

[RJ_Daley]

The only thing I find attention grabbing past all the usual loops of dream holes, is Doak declaring #8 "the best par 5 in golf"!  

I don't know but a little of TDs golf designs personally, but I think he has atleast 2 more appealing par 5s just at BallyNeal alone.  

I guess even the GCAs have their own particular tastes that might swim against the stream and cause one to go; huh?  

Not to denigrate 8 at CD, I thought it was fun.  Just not a world beater, IMHO.  

PS:  I'm glad to see Silky is making a comeback.  Keep your stick on the ice...

[Chip Gaskins]

2-3-4 at Royal County Down

[cary lichtenstein]

For my wish...I'd like my back to heal already so I can play golf again!!!!

[Jay Flemma]

2-3-4 at Royal County Down

Nice chip!

[Kirk Gill]

Cary, best wishes to you, and  your back!

From your posts that I've read, it's obvious how much you love the game, so here's to a quick and complete recovery !

For myself, there's too many stretches of great holes out there, but I'll admit that playing 11, 12, and 13 at Augusta would be incredible. Of course, I'd settle for 2, 3, and 4. I'm easy. Honestly, with the cold outside I'm really wishing for 4, 5, and 6 at Willis Case Municipal.

[Jay Flemma]

I'll echo that, Cary.  Get well soon, so we can play some more!

[ed_getka]

RJ,
   You'll have to get over to see #8 at CD a few more times (if your back cooperates). The first time I played there I asked on GCA what the big deal was about #8. I just didn't get it. After many more plays I have learned what makes the hole brilliant, but I can also see why seem people think the hole isn't fair. I love the challenge of that hole. I wouldn't say it is the greatest par 5 I have seen (that honor goes to #14 at Sand Hills), but it can certainly be included in the conversation.

[Gib_Papazian]

With a little thought, there is sure to be a Whiskey Route somewhere on the Dunluce at Portrush, but going round and round in some far flung location on any golf course defeats the purpose of stumbling out of the men's grill with a traveler. This is even more futile if the intent is a few holes to attain some semblance of sobriety before coming home to a waiting redhead.

I might have to disqualify Tom's Sheep Ranch nomination, because a Whiskey Route needs a routing, of which Sheep Ranch (theoretically) has infinite possibilities - but only in the abstract.

Then again, we can completely blow up this thread and include "Cross-Country Golf" as part of the discussion.

If this be the case, I'll nominate #1 tee at Cypress Point to the 9th green. And then the 7th tee to the 15th green since it is close to the clubhouse.

However, fanciful hallucinations aside, I think we need to stay closer to the clubhouse. And that being the case, I have filled my silver flask and set out on the #15-18 loop at Prestwick. Top that for pure entertainment! Anyone care to join me?



 

[Bill_McBride]

The Valley Club of Montecito has a good loop inside the fence too, you don't cross whatever that road is...Sheffield Road I think.

#1, #2, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18.  That's 8 holes.  There is also a green about 100 yards in front of the 18th tee so you can play 9 holes with #18 as a 300 yard par 4 uphill.  Par 37.

It's never much of a problem cutting over from #2 to #13 tee (directly adjacent) since there's never anybody on that course anyway!  If you see two other groups any time but Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon, that's a big crowd!

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